OSHA Lifting Ergonomics & Back Safety June 19, 2019 By Team Safesite

OSHA Lifting Ergonomics & Back Safety June 19, 2019 By Team Safesite

Quick Overview Learn about the back, potential back injuries, and how to keep yourself injury free on the job.

Back pain is the most expensive healthcare problem. What you need to know about back pain: Back pain is the most expensive individual injury. Back pain is the most common cause of disability for workers under 45. The cost is 20 billion/year. 80% of the population experiences back pain. 2% of people experiencing back pain have surgery.

Safety Starts with You Know and practice safe behavior on and off the job. Understand How The Back Works Proper Lifting Technique Take Care Of Your Back

1. Understand How The Back Works The first requirement in preventing back injuries is to understand how the back works. The back is primarily made up of the spine and ligaments. The spine is made up of bones, nerves and discs. Bones give the back strength. Disc are like shock absorbers. Without discs we wouldn't be able to bend and the bones would crush against the nerves. Discs are like soft hockey pucks made of jellylike material. Discs absorb pressure applied to back and bones and receive

2. Proper Lifting Technique When lifting, remember to bend legs not back, keeping the back in its normal curve. This will allow discs to remain spread evenly across the bones. When you bend abnormally, all pressure is applied to one side of disk and can cause damage. Every time we bend, pressure is applied to the discs and over time discs can become damaged. By maintaining even pressure to discs, our backs remain flexible so we can carry out routine tasks and live comfortably.

3. Take Care Of Your Back Ligaments are strong fiber-like material that help support the back and are designed to stretch which adds flexibility to the back. Ligaments work sort of like rubber bands. However, if you stretch them too far, they can tear. Time will heal these tears, but it's smarter to take care of your back rather than going through painful healing.

Safety Reminder Don’t ever lift and twist. Lift, then take a couple of steps to turn the body 90 degrees before setting the object down.

Some tips to keep your back healthy: Exercise regularly Don't overstretch Use stepladders, whenever possible Get help when lifting heavy or awkward objects

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